CVE-2023-40453 in Machine
Summary
by MITRE • 11/07/2023
Docker Machine through 0.16.2 allows an attacker, who has control of a worker node, to provide crafted version data, which might potentially trick an administrator into performing an unsafe action (via escape sequence injection), or might have a data size that causes a denial of service to a bastion node. NOTE: This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/21/2025
Docker Machine version 0.16.2 and earlier contains a security vulnerability that arises from insufficient validation of version data provided by worker nodes within containerized environments. This flaw exists in the communication protocols used by Docker Machine to manage and orchestrate container deployments across multiple hosts. The vulnerability stems from the system's failure to properly sanitize and validate version information received from untrusted sources, creating potential attack vectors that could be exploited by malicious actors who have already compromised a worker node in the infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper handling of escape sequences within version data payloads that are processed by Docker Machine components. When an attacker controls a worker node, they can craft malicious version information containing escape sequences that may be interpreted by administrators during routine operational tasks such as system status checks, log analysis, or configuration reviews. This creates a social engineering attack vector where administrators might inadvertently execute unintended commands or be misled into performing unsafe administrative actions based on the manipulated version data. The vulnerability also allows for potential denial of service conditions when oversized data payloads are transmitted through the bastion node, which serves as a central access point for administrative operations and typically handles sensitive network traffic.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption or command injection, as it represents a sophisticated attack vector that exploits the trust relationships within containerized infrastructure. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access patterns that might not be immediately apparent to security monitoring systems. The affected bastion node becomes a critical point of failure where malicious data can cause system instability or complete service disruption, particularly when the crafted version data exceeds normal processing limits. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and the principle of least privilege in container orchestration environments, as it allows attackers to escalate their compromise through seemingly benign data handling processes.
Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies that include disabling or upgrading Docker Machine installations to supported versions, implementing strict input validation policies for all version data, and establishing network segmentation to limit the impact of compromised worker nodes. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-1104 which addresses the use of escape sequences in untrusted input, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter usage. Security teams should conduct thorough audits of container orchestration environments to identify all instances of Docker Machine usage and ensure proper patch management protocols are in place. Additionally, implementing monitoring for unusual data patterns in version information and establishing incident response procedures for potential escape sequence injection attacks will help mitigate the risk of exploitation.